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From Symptom to Formula Patricia Kyritsi Howell, RH

(AHG)

American Herbalist Guild Symposium

October 28, 2019

symptom formula

Medical Diagnosis?

Symptoms

Acute Chronic

Treatment history

Medical Diagnosis?

Symptoms

Acute Chronic

Treatment history

Primary Health Goal Secondary Health

Goal?

From Symptom to Formula

Health History

Health History (in Chronological Order)

Lifestyle changes

Health History

Health History

Lifestyle changes

•  Diet •  Exercise •  Sleep •  Elimination •  Balance between play and work •  Life purpose •  Spiritual practice

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Symptoms (chronological)

Medical DX

Treatment History

Primary & Secondary Health Goals

Lifestyle Recs (diet, exercise, sleep, etc.)

Assess Symptoms

Health History

Chronological Health History 32 y/o cis woman, 5’8”, 180#, administrative assistant, works 40-60 hours per week •  Frequent bouts of strep throat, 6 to 12 y/o. Tx: Antibiotics, OTC cold meds.

•  Menses: 13 y/o. Some cramping at onset. More severe pain and PMS symptoms 20 y/o to present. No pregnancies. Tx: Ibuprofen PRN

•  Diet: Carnivore. Lots of carbs, dairy at every meal. Sweets for quick energy. Three cups of coffee in AM. Espresso in the afternoon 2-3 x week. Likes scotch, has 1-2 drinks most nights (3-4 ounces total).

•  Digestion: Chronic gas, occasional heartburn, tendency towards constipation. One BM per day often two days w/o BM each week. Tx: Tums. Prunes.

•  Sleep: To bed at 11 pm or later. Wakes at 7:00 am. Difficulty falling asleep, “relives the day and try to solve the world’s problems.” Averages 5 or 6 hours of good sleep. No naps. Same on days off. Always tired. Sometimes drinks more scotch to help sleep.

•  Exercise: Walks 1-2 miles twice a week. Sedentary work, sits for 6 to 8 hours per

day.

Chronological Health History

32 y/o cis woman, 5’8”, 180#, administrative assistant, works 40-60 hours per week •  Meditation group once a week when she can.

•  For past five years, gets a severe case of bronchitis each year when the weather changes in November. Usually sick for three weeks and ends up taking antibiotics. Feels drained throughout the winter as a result.

•  Sx: Scratchy throat and swollen glands, then a severe sore throat that progressively worsens. Cold moves into her chest with fever, cough, excessive yellow/green mucus and headache. Unable to sleep due to coughing and physical aches and pains.

•  Doctor prescribes antibiotics and cough syrup. Uses ibuprofen and occasionally stronger sleep meds (Ambien) in order to sleep.

•  Tried taking echinacea capsules (can’t remember how many) but made her nauseous.

•  Primary Health Goal: Break the pattern of annual bronchitis and avoid taking antibiotics.

Lifestyle changes

•  Diet: Increase fruits and veggies, reduce carbs and dairy.

•  Exercise: Try regular aerobic exercise that includes lots of movement and deep breathing (dance, swimming, walking…)

•  Sleep: Make early bedtime a priority. In bed by 10:00 pm. Usual recs for good sleep habits including less alcohol.

•  Elimination: Keep a food diary to see if certain foods contribute to constipation.

•  Balance between rest, play and work?

•  Life purpose?

•  Spiritual practice?

Activators Tonics

  for acute symptoms

  short term use (till symptoms shift)

  drug-like

  fast acting

  stimulating, disperse qi

  used in fairly high, frequent doses

  for chronic conditions

  long-term use (3 to 6 months)

  food-like

  slow acting

  nourishing

  replenishing, consolidates qi

  consistent dosing

Symptoms

•  History of repeated antibiotic use

•  Menstrual cramps with PMS •  Chronic gas, occasional heartburn

•  Constipation

•  Trouble falling asleep

•  Fatigue

•  Poor surface immune function

•  Frequent bronchitis/respiratory infections

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Symptoms Body System

•  History of repeated antibiotic use

•  Menstrual cramps

•  Chronic gas, occasional heartburn

•  Constipation

•  Trouble falling asleep

•  Fatigue

•  Poor surface immune function

•  Frequent bronchitis/respiratory infections

Digestive, Immune Reproductive, Endocrine, Hepato-biliary Digestive, Hepato-biliary Digestive, Hepato-biliary Nervous (Hepato-biliary) All, Nervous Immune, Respiratory Immune, Respiratory

Symptoms Body Systems Actions

•  History of repeated antibiotic use

•  Menstrual cramps

•  Chronic gas, occasional heartburn

•  Constipation

•  Trouble falling asleep

•  Fatigue

•  Poor surface immune function

•  Frequent bronchitis/respiratory infections

Digestive, Immune Reproductive, Endocrine, Hepato-biliary Digestive, Hepato-biliary Digestive, Hepato-biliary Nervous (Hepato-biliary) All, Nervous Immune, Respiratory Immune, Respiratory

Immune system tonics/adaptogens, astringents, bitters, pre/probiotics Hormonal tonics, antispasmodics, nervines, analgesics, bitters, circulatory stimulants. hepatics Carminatives, bitters, demulcents, hepatics Bitters, laxatives, demulcents Nervine relaxants (bitter?), sedatives Adaptogens, nervine tonics Surface Immune stimulants, deep immune tonics, diaphoretics, lung tonics Diaphoretics, antimicrobial, antiviral, surface immune stimulants, expectorants,

Symptoms Body Systems

Activators Tonics

History of antibiotics Menstrual cramps Gas, occ. heartburn Constipation Trouble falling asleep Fatigue Poor surface immune function Frequent bronchitis/respiratory infections

Digestive, Immune Repro, Endocrine, Hep-biliary Digestive, Hepato-biliary Digestive, Hepato-biliary Nervous (Hepato-biliary) All, Nervous Immune, Respiratory Immune, Respiratory

astringents, bitters, pre/pro-biotics anti-spasm, nervine, analgesic, circ. stimulants carminatives, bitters, demulcents laxative, bitters, demulcents nervine relaxants (bitter), sedatives surface immune stimulants, diaphoretics, antimicrobials, antivirals, expectorants, etc.

deep immune tonics, adaptogens hormonal/endocrine tonics, hepatics hepatics hepatics adaptogens, nerve tonics, hepatics adaptogens, nerve tonics deep immune tonics, adaptogens, lung tonics

Symptoms Activators

Tonics

Possible Tonic Herbs

History of antibiotics Menstrual cramps Gas, occ. heartburn Constipation Trouble falling asleep Fatigue Poor surface immune function Frequent bronchitis/respiratory infections

astringents, bitter, pre/pro-biotics anti-spasm, nervine, analgesic, circ. stim. carminatives, bitters, demulcents laxative, bitters, demulcents nervine relaxants, sedatives surface immune stimulants, diaphoretics, antimicrobial, antivirals, expectorants, etc.

deep immune tonics, adaptogens hormonal/endocrine tonics, hepatics hepatics hepatics adaptogens nerve tonics hepatics deep immune tonics, adaptogens lung tonics

Asian ginseng, astragalus, licorice, reishi, rhodiola, schisandra rhodiola, chasteberry dandelion root dandelion root, licorice, Oregon grape root, turtlehead, yellow dock Asian ginseng, reishi skullcap, blue vervain, motherwort dandelion root, licorice Asian ginseng, astragalus, reishi, schisandra astragalus, elecampane

Symptoms Tonics

Possible Tonic Herbs Tonic Herbs

History of antibiotics Menstrual cramps Gas, occ. heartburn Constipation Trouble falling asleep Fatigue Poor surface immune function Frequent bronchitis/respiratory infections

deep immune tonics, adaptogens hormonal/endocrine tonics, hepatics hepatics hepatics adaptogens nerve tonics hepatics deep immune tonics, adaptogens lung tonics

Asian ginseng, astragalus, licorice, reishi, rhodiola, schisandra chasteberry dandelion root dandelion root, licorice, Oregon grape root, turtlehead, yellow dock Asian ginseng, reishi skullcap, blue vervain, motherwort dandelion root, licorice Asian ginseng, astragalus, reishi, schisandra astragalus, elecampane

Asian ginseng Astragalus Reishi Schisandra Licorice Skullcap Elecampane

Symptoms Tonics

Possible Tonic Herbs Tonic Formula

History of antibiotics Menstrual cramps Gas, occ. heartburn Constipation Trouble falling asleep Fatigue Poor surface immune function Frequent bronchitis/respiratory infections

deep immune tonics, adaptogens hormonal/endocrine tonics, hepatics hepatics hepatics adaptogens nerve tonics hepatics deep immune tonics, adaptogens lung tonics

Asian ginseng, astragalus, licorice, reishi, rhodiola, schisandra chasteberry dandelion root dandelion root, licorice, Oregon grape root, turtlehead, yellow dock Asian ginseng, reishi skullcap, blue vervain, motherwort dandelion root, licorice Asian ginseng, astragalus, reishi, schisandra astragalus, elecampane

3 parts Asian ginseng 3 parts Astragalus 3 parts Reishi 3 parts Schisandra 2 parts Licorice 1 part Skullcap 1 part Elecampane

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Symptoms Activators Actions

History of antibiotics Menstrual cramps Gas, occ. heartburn Constipation Trouble falling asleep Fatigue Poor surface immune function Frequent bronchitis/respiratory infections

astringents, bitter, pre/pro-biotics anti-spasm, nervine, analgesic, circ. stim. carminatives, bitters, demulcents laxative, bitters, demulcents nervine relaxants (bitter), sedatives nervine relaxants (bitter), sedatives surface immune stimulants, diaphoretics, antimicrobials, antivirals, expectorants, etc.

GI Support bitters carminatives astringents demulcents pre/probiotic Menstrual suffering antispasmodic nervine relaxant analgesic circulatory stimulant Constipation bitters laxatives demulcents Sleep nervine relaxants sedatives Cold/Infection

Activators Activator formulas

Possible Activators

astringents, bitter, carminatives, pre/pro-biotics anti-spasm, nervine, analgesic, circulatory stimulants laxative, bitters, demulcents nervine relaxants, sedatives

GI Support bitters carminatives astringents demulcents pre/probiotic Menstrual Suffering antispasmodic nervine relaxant analgesic circulatory stimulant Constipation bitters laxatives demulcents Sleep nervine relaxants sedatives

- dandelion root, mugwort, gentian, yarrow - ginger, peppermint - wild geranium, meadowsweet, sage, yarrow - licorice, marshmallow - burdock root, dandelion root, elecampane (inulin rich) - black haw/cramp bark, ginger, motherwort, mugwort - blue vervain, motherwort, mugwort, passionflower - all of the above - ginger, yarrow - dandelion root, mugwort, gentian, yarrow - cascara sagrada, dandelion root, gentian, licorice - burdock, licorice, marshmallow - blue vervain, mugwort, motherwort, passionflower, skullcap - skullcap, valerian

Possible Herbal Activators Possible Formulas with Dosing

GI Support bitters carminatives astringents demulcents pre/probiotic Menstrual Suffering antispasmodic nervine relaxant analgesic circulatory stimulant

-  dandelion root, mugwort, gentian, yarrow

-  ginger, peppermint

-  wild geranium, meadowsweet, sage, yarrow

-  licorice, marshmallow

-  burdock root, dandelion root, elecampane (inulin rich roots)

-  black haw/cramp bark, ginger,

passionflower

-  blue vervain, motherwort, mugwort, passionflower -  all of the above

- ginger, yarrow -

Digestive bitters formula 2 parts each dandelion, mugwort, gentian, yarrow with 1 part peppermint Take 5-10 drops before meals

Demulcents: licorice tea, chewable tabs As needed for heartburn Pre-biotic: 1-2 teaspoons powdered burdock with meals Probiotics: fermented foods/probiotic caps Menstrual Suffering Tincture: 2 parts black haw/cramp bark 2 parts passionflower 1 part blue vervain Take 60 drops every 30 minutes until cramping subsides, then every hour as needed. Taken in hot ginger tea.

Possible Herbal Activators Possible Formulas with Dosing

-  dandelion root, mugwort, gentian, yarrow

-  ginger, peppermint

-  wild geranium, meadowsweet, sage, yarrow

-  licorice, marshmallow

-  burdock root, dandelion root, elecampane (inulin rich roots)

-  black haw/cramp bark, ginger,

passionflower

-  blue vervain, motherwort, mugwort, passionflower -  all of the above

- ginger, yarrow -

Digestive bitters formula 2 parts each dandelion, mugwort, gentian, yarrow with 1 part peppermint Take 5-10 drops before meals

Demulcents: licorice tea, chewable tabs As needed for heartburn Pre-biotic: 1-2 teaspoons powdered burdock with meals Probiotics: fermented foods/probiotic caps Menstrual Suffering Tincture: 2 parts black haw/cramp bark 2 parts passionflower 1 part blue vervain Take 60 drops every 30 minutes until cramping subsides, then every hour as needed. Taken in hot ginger tea.

Tonic Formula Activator Formulas

Daily Tonic formula 3 parts Asian ginseng 3 parts Astragalus 3 parts Reishi 3 parts Schisandra 2 parts Licorice 1 part Skullcap 1 part Elecampane Take 60 drops in a small amount of water twice a day for 3 to 6 months. Stop taking Tonic Formula if you develop a cold or respiratory infection. -

Digestive bitters formula 2 parts each dandelion, mugwort, gentian, yarrow with 1 part peppermint Take 5-10 drops before meals

Demulcents: licorice tea, chewable tabs As needed for heartburn Pre-biotic: 1-2 teaspoons powdered burdock with meals Probiotics: fermented foods/probiotic caps Menstrual Suffering Tincture: 2 parts black haw/cramp bark 2 parts passionflower 1 part blue vervain Take 60 drops every 30 minutes until cramping subsides, then every hour as needed. Taken in hot ginger tea.

Patricia Kyritsi Howell, RH (AHG)

BotanoLogos School of

Herbal Studies

www.wildhealingherbs.com

info@wildhealingherbs.com